![realeza michoacana](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51308771580_a066c17898_b.jpg)
I fell deeply in love with Mexican fruit cups while visiting Arizona. And, the place that introduced me to them was Realeza Michoacana. Side note: Many businesses in the area are named similarly; "Michoacana" means someone or something from the state of Michoacán in western Mexico.
![realeza michoacana](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51308482059_87b2d98ac7_b.jpg)
"At what is arguably the ice palace of Phoenix, there are frozen treats available in enough varieties and flavors to ensure that every child and adult will find a tasty way to beat the heat. The homemade paletas are made with fresh fruit, like the coconut packed with shavings, lime-infused mango chili, cantaloupe, strawberry, and 'cocktail,' which tastes like a margarita. If you’d rather use a spoon to eat your icy snack, try a raspado full of shaved ice, fruit, and flavored syrups. The Diabilito is a spicy-sweet drink jazzed up with chile powder, saladitos (salted plums), lime juice, hot sauce, and a chile tamarind candy swizzle stick. If you want a more American-style dessert, Realeza Michoacana also has pastries, fruit cocktails, and fourteen flavors of ice cream. This family-owned sweet shop is located along 16th Street in Central Phoenix, a hub for great Mexican eateries. After lunch or dinner, don’t forget to stop here for dessert," reads the Phoenix New Times.
![realeza michoacana](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51307762406_e13a5aaf09_b.jpg)
Mexican fruit cups are essentially spears of fresh tropical fruit that have been topped with lime juice, chamoy and Tajin (chili lime salt). The result is a sweet but spicy and tangy snack that is beyond craveable.
![realeza michoacana](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51307958788_bb07c80f36_b.jpg)
It is so well balanced between the sweetness and the spice that it makes the whole snack so satisfying. The juiciness, the sticky sweetness, but then there's a zing that tempers it a bit and adds a new layer. At least, that was my experience at this lovely shop in Phoenix. I've since tried to recreat the fruit cup at home in a similar manner with limited success.
![realeza michoacana](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51308771575_fcd5c1bc8e_b.jpg)
What's your favorite summer dessert?
![realeza michoacana](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51307958778_2cb2df744d_b.jpg)
Grade: A